By Linda Kor In July 2010, Holbrook resident and veteran Efren Mondragon wrote a letter to the editor that was published in The Tribune, expressing his appreciation to a young girl for her consideration on Memorial Day of that year for those who have served their country. “I had the honor to go help the members of the American Legion and the Sons of the Legion set up flags on the graves of veterans at the Holbrook Cemetery. One of our veterans had his daughter with him helping us set up the flags and her father asked her to help me. I told her it was so nice of her to be doing this for our veterans, and she replied that this was the third year she had helped her dad, because of her grandpa and other veterans, including her dad. At that moment it made me think of when I was released from Iraq to come home, and that it was worth the sacrifice, knowing that a young person appreciates our veterans, past and present. “I would like to thank her parents, Ken and Rachel McCormick, for teaching their daughter the value of our country. We of the American Legion presented a certificate to 10-year-old BreeAnna McCormick. “I hope to see you again on Veterans Day, BreeAnna, and I personally thank you from the bottom of my heart.” This week, that 10-year-old girl helping to put up flags to honor veterans at the Holbrook cemetery is now a 20-year-old dedicated Marine. Her respect for the military and veterans continued through the years, from helping at the local Run For The Wall events, to assisting with Wounded Warrior Projects and now enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. McCormick graduated from Joseph City High School in 2018 and enlisted in the Corps through the delayed entry program in May 2019. She signed a five-year contract as an aviation electronics technician in 4th Battalion, Papa Company, Platoon 4028. McCormick left for boot camp in May and after a two-week mandatory quarantine at the Citadel in Georgia, she and the other recruits in her company had an additional two weeks of quarantine on base. Even with the additional delays, they are graduating on time. At camp, McCormick endured 13 weeks of rigorous training to include marching, running, swimming, gas chamber, ethics, hand-to-hand, rifle range, to only name a few. Everything culminates with the Crucible, which must be completed and passed in order to receive the Eagle, Globe and Anchor (EGA) and earn the title of US Marine. The Crucible is a true test of endurance. It begins at 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning and ends at approximately 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning. The 54-hour training exercise is an evaluation of the recruits’ mental, moral and physical character in order to validate their transformation from recruit to Marine. Crucible stations are designed to challenge and inspire recruits through examples of heroic unit achievement and individual character. It tests every recruit physically, mentally and morally and is the defining moment in recruit training. It includes food and sleep deprivation and over 45 miles of marching over rough terrain, while carrying a 35-pound pack as well as weapon and web gear. The entire Crucible event pits teams of recruits against a barrage of day and night events requiring every recruit to work together solving problems, overcoming obstacles and helping each other along. The obstacles they face range from long marches, combat assault courses, the problem-solving reaction course and the team-building Warrior Stations. In short, the Crucible is a right of passage each recruit must pass. McCormick received her EGA on Aug. 1 and will graduate this Friday, Aug.14. After graduation she will have more training to attend. It begins with approximately four weeks of Marine combat training in North Carolina. From there she will go on to approximately one year of training for her military obligation of service, starting with time in Pensacola, Florida, and then to Oceana, Virginia, to finish up. The McCormicks believe that the letter Mondragon wrote 10 years ago praising those caring efforts put her on the path to want to serve her country and become a Marine. Showing that such efforts to recognize local youth can truly have a long-lasting impact and shape their future.
